Presence of Plasma Erythropoietin in Hypoxic Rats with or without Kidney(s) and/or Spleen

Abstract

Summary(1) Normal rats placed in a low oxygen atmosphere for time periods from 4 to 120 hours reveal definite elevation of plasma erythropoietin until 24 hours and after 48 hours erythropoietin drops back to normal levels as judged by Fe59 uptake assay using hypophysectomized rats. (2) On the basis of this time-concentration relationship of plasma erythropoietin in hypoxic hypoxic rats, no significant alteration of erythropoietin titers is evident in hypoxic rats with or without kidneys and/or spleen. (3) Hence, neither the kidney nor spleen is the production site of erythropoietin under hypoxic hypoxia.